Kerch style

The vases are thus named because a large quantity of them were found at Kerch (ancient Pantikapaion) on the Black Sea coast of Crimea.

The motifs are mostly scenes from the life of women (often exaggeratedly idyllic), dionysiac themes and subjects to do with Artemis and Demeter.

Shortly afterwards, the activities of the YZ Group painters produced a multitude of vases of inferior quality in a number of workshops.

The most important scholar of Attic vase painting, John D. Beazley, only developed an interest in them late in his career; he did not agree with all of Schefold's views.

Generally, the South Italian red-figure vase production of the time was superior to the Attic Kerch Style.